It’s a deathtrap

A PORTSTEWART mother says she fears she may re-live a horrific road safety television advertisement.

Lynn Pollard lives at Cappagh Manor just off the Agherton Road.

The mother-of-two has been lobbying Road Service for the past three years in a bid to get speed ramps or speed barrier put in place outside her home.

On Thursday, Lynn invited East Londonderry MP, Gregory Campbell to visit her home to see for himself the conditions on the narrow stretch of road.

“Cars really do fly along this road,” said Lynn. “In the past three years, my fence has been knocked down three times. Two of these crashes happened within two days.

“This has happened because drivers are speeding and are not aware of the dips in the road.”

Lynn said that she has asked for the road to be gritted but has been told that it doesn’t meet the criteria as it doesn’t carry enough vehicles per day.

“My biggest fear is that someone will be killed before anyone sits up and takes heed of what’s happening here.

“My back garden is only about two or three metres away from the road, it is separated by a fence, but I have visions of that awful television advertisement, with the children playing in the garden and the car coming over through the fence. I am terrified to let my children out to play just incase a car comes flying through.”

DUP MP Gregory Campbell has written to DRD Road Service on two separate occasions about Lynn’s problem, but he is hoping to speak to them again and invite someone to the site to see the conditions.

“It’s very easy for someone to make a decision from behind a desk. I understand that roads must meet a criteria to be gritted, but I feel that a safety barrier along the side of the road at Lynn’s home would prevent any further incidents.

“The road is very narrow and traffic does hurtle along very fast, I can see that myself by just standing at Lynn’s home for a few minutes. After three years, this really needs resolved.”

The issue has also been raised at a community meeting held by Neighbourhood Police Officers.

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